Any progress on TCP/IP connection. - Page 2

Dracus · #11 June 30th, 2001, 06:41 PM

I have to agree with geo there,
the pbw can work just like tcp in a sense.
You all can upload all your turns to the site and a minute later download your turn, repeat. no waiting for e-mail. I ran 10 turns in a test game this way before the e-mail sent me the 1 turn.

I think for tcp to truely work in this game, you would have to code the game so that the player who set up the game was always the first player and the others would have to join in turn. once the required number of players joined then the host would have start the game. the game would have to be able to link to all the copies of itself on each system. Sounds like a lot of coding.

geoschmo · #12 June 30th, 2001, 09:02 PM

I one important way, PBW is actually better than TCP/IP.

In a TCP/IP game, what happens if the host has isp problems, or has to leave the game to work. I suppose you could save the game and pick it up later.

But then what happens if the host gets wiped out in the game? Is he/she supposed to stay on line so the others can keep playing?

With PBW you don't have to worry about that cause the server is the host. If a player leaves, the others can decide to stop and come back later, or they can go on without him and let the ai do it, or they can even find a replacement to take over for him.

Just something to think about.

geoschmo

Gera · #13 July 1st, 2001, 04:12 AM

Click "End Turn". Select option to keep game open or to close it. Use preferred method to upload files to PBW site. Scan for game files. When available, download files. Load into SE4. Play turn. Repeat cycle.

Yeah, that sounds a lot better than true TCP/IP where you only click "End Turn" and the game notifies you when the next turn begins.

As to some of your other comments, many people only play multiplayer games with only one other person. If the host gets eliminated, the other player wins. Schedules are not an issue. If one player has ISP problems, postpone or play by modem. The solution to the problem should accomodate this type of play as well as play of larger Groups.

geoschmo · #14 July 1st, 2001, 02:25 PM

Gera,

In my post I acknowledged the extra clicking. I was simply stating that there wasn't the email lag to deal with that the other person was talking about. I was strictly talking about the speed of play. It's not perfect, but nothing is.

geoschmo

Instar · #15 July 2nd, 2001, 06:43 AM

Yonkyu: I dont know for certain what Will would say, but he was just trying to say that only one guy is doing this, so we can't always get what we want immediately... its just a fact of life... life sucks doesnt it?

TaeraRepublic · #16 July 2nd, 2001, 11:27 AM

If it'd be possible to include tectical combat to a multiplayer game, it'd be GREAT.

But yet, due to that i know that all PBEM games are using strategical-only, and i myself use tactical only when i REALY need to win (im talking about single-games)

------------------
Emperor Klis't of the Taera Republic.
Proud member of the League of Empires.

E-Mail -
Ora Planet - Taera Republic - League of Empires

Yojinbo · #17 July 2nd, 2001, 05:42 PM

If anyone is going to "bodyguard" Aaron it should be me....

Seriously, I don't mean to imply that TCP/IP and or tactical combat would be easy in any way. In fact, the proposition of retrofitting a non-networked application with multiplayer TCP/IP seems daunting. I find the file sharing PBEM options to be quite ingenious (reminds me of Spaceward Ho!) and workable - minus tactical.

I would be willing to wait for SE5 and fork over some more money for true multi. This is MM's decision, all I can do is make my will known.

But when that glorious day arrives I do want tactical combat. I know this would slow down play. The first turn-based multiplayer game I ever played (Robosport) addressed this with time limits on orders (OK, RS was simultaneous execution, not sequential turn based - but if you remember that game you're almost too old to still play PC games). Time limits would in a way reflect the increased difficulty of managing a larger fleet...

Gera · #18 July 3rd, 2001, 02:24 AM

Spaceward Ho! was retrofitted with non-PBEM multiplayer (IPX and direct modem; don't remember for sure about TCP) in the Last Version with very little change to the basic game play. It worked very well from what I remember.

Yonkyu and I do remember Robosport. We had been playing multiplayer games for a while before it came out, and we will not be too old to play computer games for many years, yet to come! Robosport was an excellent game, but time constraints would not work well with SE4 unless the basic structure of the game was changed to make micromanagement less necessary.